Klaus had somehow begun to grasp the workings of [Chaos]. One aspect, he realized, was that anything harmful within his body was instinctively torn apart and destroyed. His lineage had imbued his blood with a mystical, almost unnatural quality. it was flexible, ever-changing. He could even alter his own blood type at will, which was… insane, really.
His bones weren't indestructible, but they were soft and elastic, almost rubber-like. Even if a Saint landed a punch on him, he might walk away relatively unharmed. Of course, if needed, he could harden them, making them just as tough as his original bones used to be. And even more, too.
His flesh now regenerated passively, removing impurities as well. With Faceless, it could be even faster.
Overall, his physique was truly stunning. He was soft, flexible, and elastic, which made it much easier to change his appearance through Faceless. It wasn't painful anymore. On the contrary, it felt natural and comfortable. As if being ever-changing was his true state, something instinctual and even delightful.
But shifting into foreign and alien forms still carried risks. He was becoming them, after all. Even if his true name anchored his identity and kept him from losing himself completely, it remained a difficult process. After all, he was altering his entire anatomy, his very nature. So, caution was necessary. He needed to study the creatures he wanted to become before taking on their forms.
His mental capabilities had also improved. He no longer tired as easily, and the space within his mental library had expanded significantly. Even his shadow seemed to have deepened for reasons unknown. As for his soul or spirit, Klaus still had no idea what had become of them. He hadn't dared to experiment yet.
And there was one more truth he had come to accept: he was still dying. Radiation still lingered in his body, along with toxic gases, polluted air, and countless other impurities.
[Chaos] was tearing those harmful substances apart, dismantling them cell by cell. But there was a problem. Even if his Lineage could purge toxins, the Crimson Essence was still corrupting his cells. In other words, due to the difference in rank and the dragon's oppressive will imposed upon the world, Klaus couldn't fully heal. He had, at best, a month left.
So yeah, life's pretty cool, huh? Hahaha-
"Nik… Nik!"
He blinked, snapping out of his thoughts. Looking around, he saw his kids, his lover, his sister, and his subordinates all staring at him with a mix of concern and confusion.
"Hm? What's wrong?"
Cassie let out a soft sigh, leaning back in her chair.
"We need details. What the heck is going on? What even happened?"
Klaus sighed and rolled his eyes at the question. Honestly, he wasn't in the mood to explain anything, but whatever. it was better to get it over with.
"Well… basically, I sealed the lingering spirit fragments of all the fallen Abominations. After you told me about that vision, where the dragon bends us over and penetrates us from behind, I decided I wasn't interested in having my delicate hole violated. So I came up with a contingency plan."
Cassie remained motionless. Her frown deepened as she tilted her head slightly. Klaus couldn't quite place the emotion that briefly flickered across her face that was there and gone in an instant.
Wait… was that resignation? And pity?
He shook his head, bewildered, then continued casually.
"Well, I built a massive ritualistic array and poured all the spirit fragments into it to reinforce the structure. Then Loki and I went to fight the dragon... well, more like lure it in, but you get the point. Once I got that crimson dick to the designated location, I activated the array with Lich's help and sealed the dragon inside the mirror."
Tatiana blinked at her brother's tale and took a deep breath. Fixing him with her sharp golden eyes, she said curtly, no nonsense in her tone:
"And what kind of mirror was that? Where did you get it?"
Klaus pursed his lips, leaning back awkwardly. Cassie frowned too, letting out an irritated snort as she pulled off her blindfold.
"Spit it out. Did you meet that abomination?"
Klaus groaned, shifting in his seat. What was wrong with them? He was a dying man, old and practically an elder! And instead of letting him enjoy whatever life he had left, they were grilling him like some suspicious teenager? His own sister and lover?!
"Fine, fine," he muttered. "I did."
He waved a hand tiredly, beginning his explanation.
"While creating the array, I based it on the concept of a zero dimension. Simply put, it's a point with no length, width, height or size at all. It defines only location, nothing more."
He glanced at them to make sure they were still following, then continued:
"So, I used my sorcery to create a space where every position collapses into a single point. In zero-dimensional space, there's only one possible position. No data is needed to describe it. Which means..."
He let the implication hang in the air before adding:
"That's how I managed to seal the dragon. I trapped it in a space where it can't move, can't even exist properly. Only 'be located.'"
He paused, glancing at them to see if they understood but after seeing their clueless faces, he grimaced. What was so hard about it?! It's just math!
Rolling his eyes, he continued, his irritation barely concealed.
"But still, I didn't have enough power to keep the dragon locked in that one possible location for a long time... maybe a few weeks, a month at best. So instead, I used a medium. Yes, I contacted Mordret. He owed me, so I asked for one of his prized possessions... Heh, the mirror from Bastion."
He grinned, held his head, and let out a wide yawn.
"In other words, I altered the location and added another enhancement to my array: the concept that 'position is a lie.' Based on that, I managed to replace the single point that defines the only possible location in zero-dimensional space with the mirror and locked the dragon inside it. Now the dragon's sealed for five years, and that's more than enough time for me to become Transcendent and slice it into sashimi. Understood?"
They stared at him in silence for a while, then groaned in unison.
"No!"
"How are we supposed to understand that? It doesn't make sense!"
"Hmm... Well, Undertaker, I don't have enough brain cells for this. What do you think?"
"..."
"Understood, my friend."
Klaus remained silent for some time, then sighed. Well, it wasn't as simple as it looked. Because if Cassie hadn't informed him about the dragon, he wouldn't even be alive right now.
Three months. That's how long it had taken Klaus to come up with a plan, lay the array, and execute it. Three fucking months… and spirit fragments gathered from thousands of dead Abominations.
"That's it for now," he said, his voice quiet but firm. "Rest and regain your strength. While the most dangerous threats have been neutralized, there are still gates that need to be sealed, and Abominations we still need to kill."
Everyone nodded and went their own way.
They were tired... exhausted, really. Fighting for months without meaningful rest. Watching their comrades die day after day. Witnessing so much destruction and despair.
It wasn't easy.
Klaus took a seat and stared at the horizon. Even he was exhausted, truly.
There was no one to blame, not really…
But it wasn't easy to accept that only two hundred of his soldiers remained, while hundreds more already lay buried in graves.
Each of them had families. Friends. Lovers. Parents. Grandparents. Brothers, sisters, wives, sons, daughters...
There had been no reinforcements from the government. None from the Great Clans either.
Ki Song had broken her contract. She hadn't sent the support she'd promised him. And because of that, his people died.
Well then. If those were the rules she wanted to play by... He would follow them. And he would crush her. With her own rules.
So be it.
Klaus's expression darkened with quiet displeasure and bitter resentment. He wasn't the kind of man who hurt the innocent just because someone connected to them had harmed him.
Well, he wasn't some retard. Someone who'd go around causing destruction and death just because the world had treated him unfairly. That never made sense. It never would.
Maybe that's where his disdain came from.
Be it his sister, Sunny, Mordret, Sovereigns or any other… Self-righteous assholes, the lot of them. As if having a shitty life gave you a free pass to ruin others too, to justify turning people into collateral damage.
Klaus hated that kind of thinking. Not because of some noble empathy granted by the Law of Original Sin, but because he genuinely understood what it felt like to be on the receiving end. He remembered those years. That slow, soul-rotting hopelessness under Asterion's shadow. That helplessness, the silence, the weight of being nothing.
But just because he had power, influence, and resources now… that didn't mean he had to turn into them. That he should start nuking people from a distance. Send soldiers to their deaths like pieces on a board. Hate others just because their lives turned out a little brighter. Or treat them like disposable tools for personal gain.
No.
None of that made sense...
Soft hands appeared from behind, wrapping gently around him. Cassie leaned forward, resting her head on his shoulder, eyes closed.
The blind seer stayed quiet for a moment before speaking, her voice laced with concern.
"Nik… are you okay?"
Klaus gave a small shrug, leaning into her touch.
"I'm fine. What makes you think I'm not?"
She smiled softly, a quiet, melodious chuckle slipping from her lips.
"I know you, Smiling Man. You can't fool my eyes."
Klaus almost laughed but held it in, his voice teasing as he replied,
"Cas, hate to remind you, but-"
She groaned, immediately stretching his cheeks in protest, lips tugged into a pout.
"I told you, the blind jokes are getting old.
And stop changing the subject... What happened, love?"
What happened... Klaus didn't know. He was just so tired lately. Not physically, but spiritually. He felt hollow and discouraged. And at the same time, angry. So bitter and full of spite.
Should I...?
He hesitated. Was this the right choice? Honestly, he had no idea. But did it even matter anymore?
He loved her. And he'd kept this truth from her for far too long.
Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes for a moment and spoke, voice low and almost hesitant.
"The first name I was given... wasn't Klaus... It was Samael. The name my father gave me... Samael of the Immortal Flame. I am the first-born of Smile Of Heaven and Broken Sword... True Heir Of Immortal Flame Clan. At the same time, it's ghost and shame."